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volunteer checkpoint information

The Details

Date Race Distance Price
8:30-12:30 AM- Saturday May 25, 2024 Kids Race! more info can be found here FREE
9:00 AM- Saturday May 25, 2024 The Classic Growler ~32 miles on the dirt $109
8:00 AM- Sunday May 26, 2024 The PUP 20 ~20 miles on the dirt $99
8:00 AM- Sunday May 26, 2024 The BIG BAD 40 ~40 miles on the dirt $119

THREE RACE COURSES to CHOOSE FROM!

In 2021, we introduced two new race courses for Sunday’s event: the 20 mile Pup and the 40 mile Big Bad, featuring the Aberdeen trails for the first time. These categories replace the 2-lap, 64 mile Growler. Change is good, and we saw an incredible show of racers for both Sunday events. For those still looking for a longer distance challenge, the 40 mile Big Bad features our classic Growler course with the addition of the Aberdeen loop, Hartman Rocks longest and most backcountry trails.

25% DISCOUNT FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL RACERS

We’re committed to fostering the next generation of mountain bikers by extending a 25% discount to all middle school and high school racers (based on their grade as of fall 2024).

ORIGINAL GROWLER KID’S RACES

ORIGINAL GROWLER KID’S RACES will take place on spectator, family friendly multi-lap courses at the Hartman Rocks base area on Saturday, May 25. While this event is free, we’ll still need you to stop by and sign a waiver before participating. Please visit the “KIDS RACE PAGE” for all the fun details!

Cost

  • Half Growler- $114

  • Original ( Full ) Growler- $114

  • Original ( Full ) Growler Team- $200

Party

Once you’re done and back in downtown at the starting line, you’ll be smack-dab in the middle of the Growler after party. We have food and beverages (please drink responsibly) for you and eventually, we’ll do awards. We suggest that you put your bike away securely (you might want to bring a lock for peace of mind or get it back to where you are staying or on or in your car), clean up as you like and kick back and enjoy the post-race glow and feeling of abused legs.

  • Half-Growler Party on Saturday begins around 1pm with Awards around 3pm.
  • Full-Growler and Sunday’s Half-Growler party on Sunday begins around 1pm with Awards around 5pm.

There will be a sign at each checkpoint. In addition, you should have been given a course map. It is highly recommended that if you are not familiar with Hartman Rocks or the location of your checkpoint, that you go there in advance of the race, just to be certain you know the location.

Check your cell phone for signal strength. Climb nearby hills to determine locations where the signal is the strongest if you have none or a weak signal at your checkpoint position. Then, set up your checkpoint and familiarize yourself with the details of your particular position so that you are prepared for the riders when they come through. Send a test text to the Mission Coordinator letting them know you are in position.

Someone with a cell phone or radio, and the critical phone numbers, always needs to be at the actual checkpoint. However, if you have some friends or other helpers, they can fan out along the course adjacent to your checkpoint. Some checkpoints descriptions include secondary positions to try to cover if more people are available. These people should also have cell phones and the key phone numbers so that they can alert the Mission Coordinator, etc., in the event of an injury or illness on course.

Get as much information as you can from whoever is telling you about it. How far up or down the course? What type of injury and severity? Get this information to the Command Center so first responders and Western State Mountain Rescue Team can be deployed.

If you have a strong cell signal, call the Mission Coordinator. If the cell is weaker, prepare and send a text message with the basics, for example: “Rider injured upcourse from Checkpoint 4. Send help.” Make sure your text goes through. You may need to climb nearby hills to get a stronger signal.

In most instances, you will be told about an injured rider by another rider who came upon the injured rider and then continued on the course. In this case, the injured rider is “upcourse” from your position. Even if that direction is downhill, the direction that riders are approaching you from is considered to by “upcourse.” In the unlikely event that you are approached by someone coming back on the course against the flow of the race, they are approaching you from “downcourse.” 

The most likely situation is an injured rider “upcourse” from your checkpoint. This is vitally important, as your instructions to our first responders are all they have to go on for locating an ill or injured rider.

Always alert the Mission Coordinator first. Only assist if the injured rider is right there and you are trained in first-aid. Otherwise, stay at your checkpoint position. The injured rider could be a mile or more away from your location.

Part of our safety plan is having first responders on motorcycles (Moto Medic) available on course. If you text the Mission Coordinator that a rider is injured “upcourse” from Checkpoint 4 and needs help, the Mission Coordinator will dispatch a Moto Medic by relaying that same information. Depending on the location of the Moto Medic, they could work toward the location by either going Upcourse from your location or Downcourse from Checkpoint 3. While the Moto Medic is responding, Western State Mountain Rescue Team will be mobilizing, too. The Moto Medic, once on scene, will relay further details and information to Western State Mountain Rescue about the course of action. You will need to stay in your position.

911 Dispatch will be aware of our event so you can always call 911 in the event of an emergency. Please be sure to tell them that you are at the Growler mountain bike races at Hartman Rocks; your Checkpoint Number; and whether the ill or injured rider is upcourse or downcourse from your position. They will have direct contact with Mission Command.

We have sweep mountain bikers following the last rider on all laps. We’re encouraging the sweeps to stay close behind the last rider so marshals don’t have to spend any extra time on the course. The sweep rider on the first lap on Sunday isn’t releasing anyone, however, but it helps us keep track of our riders. The sweep rider on Saturday and on the second lap on Sunday is your signal that your day is done! Please send a text to the Mission Coordinator letting them know that your Checkpoint is clear and just clean up after yourselves and any racer garbage that your checkpoint may have accumulated. Racers are encouraged to drop garbage at checkpoints rather than out on the course.

    • While the Growler is a permitted event, no roads or trails are closed to the public and racers have no special priority over anyone else. Some people are frustrated by these events taking place and all we can do with these folks is relay information to them in a friendly manner and crush them with kindness. Please don’t be confrontational; advise them of the event and ask them to proceed with caution.
  • Please leave all course markings and materials in place, until the final sweep passes through on Sunday.
  • Parking – Please respect vegetation in our arid, fragile, high-desert ecosystem and don’t park on unmolested vegetation. Some Checkpoints have great, nearby parking; for others, you may need to park a ways away and walk to your position. If you do have lots of friends come out, please have them respect the vegetation, too, with their parking. Consider carpooling or riding bikes.
  • You are a volunteer and sometimes competitors will ask you questions you don’t know. Unless you’re at the Skull Pass aid station, you are only there for their safety and generally don’t have food, water, tubes, lube or parts for their bike. If you want to set up a little impromptu party with amenities, that’s totally cool and up to you. Job one is safety, though. You may or may not know how many minutes ahead second place is but you may be asked questions like this. That’s not why you’re there; don’t feel like you need to keep track of or know this kind of information.
  • If your shift happens to end in time for you to get to downtown for the party, check in there, let them know you were a course marshal and you’ll get a wristband and a meal voucher. 

  • Fully charged cell phone and possibly a radio provided by the organization.
  • Laminated card with key phone numbers, radio channels, etc.
  • Camp chair.
  • Umbrella for shade or rain; sunscreen, sunglasses, hat.
  • Warm clothes including rainwear. Your car may be nearby unless you ride your bike out.
  • Garbage bag for racer garbage, etc. We can provide this.
  • Books
  • Cooler with drinks and snacks. Lunches are provided for volunteers; it might be delivered or you may need to pick it up prior to your shift. We’ll let you know the exact lunch plan.
  • Decorations, cow bells, PA system, generator, a ‘90’s mix tape…go crazy
  • Friends. You can fan out on your sections of the course to increase coverage or have a nice get together at the Checkpoint.